Stackable chair with flexible back

ABSTRACT

A chair having a seat, a seat back and a frame with spaced apart side members and a rear member interconnecting the side members is provided. The chair also includes a support interconnecting the two side members. A seat support bracket interconnects the rear member to the mid portion of the support member. A spring interconnects the seat back to the support member. The proximal end of the spring is attached to the support member, and the distal end of the spring is attached to the seat back. The spring translates a portion of the load placed on the seat back onto the support member, and allows the user to recline. A support having a flange is disposed on each of the legs in a predetermined manner so as to place the chair on top of a like chair in a predetermined position convenient and conducive to stacking.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/096,995 filed Sep. 15, 2008, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to stackable chairs having a flexible back.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Stackable chairs are well known and currently used in the art. However, the load of chairs may cause the legs of chairs in the bottom of the stack to spread over time. Accordingly, it is desirable to having stacking chairs with structural support that helps prevent the legs from spreading. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 7,118,175 to Crue discloses a stackable chair wherein the stackable chair has an elongated member extending around the base of the chair legs such that when one chair is stacked on top of another the elongated member prevents the chair legs from spreading apart from each other. The seat back is fully supported by the rear leg members which extend upwardly past the seat cushion and a plurality of crossing members extend between each of the rear leg members to define the seat back. However such a seat can become uncomfortable to a user especially when the user must occupy the seat for a prolonged period of time.

Accordingly it is desirable to provide a chair with a flexible back. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 5,261,727 to Klaebel discloses a chair with a pivoting base. The pivoting base is pivotable about the middle of the seat so as to allow a user to recline. The seat back is fixed to the seat via a generally L-shaped bracket. The L-shaped bracket is adjustably hinged to the seat back so as to allow the seat back to be angled relative to the seat cushion in a plurality of predetermined positions. However the seat disclosed in Klaebel is not stackable. Furthermore, manufacturing costs are increased by the addition of the hinge. Accordingly it is desirable to have a chair which is stackable, has a flexible back for reclining, and is relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A chair that is stackable, able to recline, and relatively inexpensive to manufacture is provided. The chair includes a seat, a seat back and a frame with spaced apart side members and a rear member interconnecting the side members together. The chair also includes a support member having a first and second end portion and a mid portion interconnecting the two side members together. A seat support bracket interconnects the rear member to the mid portion of the support member, and a spring connects the support member to the seat back. The spring will translate a portion of the load experienced by the seat back onto the support member and simultaneously allow the user to recline with respect to the seat. The chair further includes a support attached to each leg. The support extends downwardly from the side member and along a portion of the leg and includes a flange. The flange is configured so as to place the chair on top of a like chair in a predetermined position which is convenient and conducive to stacking. The support member helps prevent the legs from spreading and the spring makes the manufacture of a reclinable chair relatively inexpensive.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a chair according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating two chairs according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, with one of the chairs stacked on top of the other chair;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a support member and spring structure for the chairs shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a support member and spring structure according to a different embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of supports used during the stacking of chairs.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention discloses a chair with a spring that affords for a reclinable seat back. In addition, a plurality of such chairs can be stacked on top of each other. As such, the present invention has utility as a chair for use in a conference room setting.

The chair can include a seat which can be sit upon, a seat back, a frame, and a plurality of legs extending from the frame so as to support the frame. The frame can include a pair of spaced apart side members and a rear member interconnecting one of the side members to the other side member. A support member can also be included, the support member having a first end portion and a second end portion. A mid portion can interconnect the first end portion to the second end portion and the first end portion can be connected or attached to one of the side members and the second end portion can be connected or attached to the other side member. A seat support bracket can also be included which interconnects the rear member of the frame to the mid portion of the support member. A spring having a proximal end connected to the support member and a distal end connected to the seat back affords for translation of at least a portion of the load experienced by the seat back onto the support member. In some instances, the load experienced by the seat back onto the support member is not transferred to the seat.

The support member can be located forward of the frame rear member, and the mid portion of the support member can be lower than the pair of spaced apart side members. The seat support bracket can include a seat panel and a step portion, the step portion being generally orthogonal to the seat panel. The seat panel can be attached to the rear member of the frame and the step portion can be attached to the support member. The seat support bracket can include a slot through which a portion of the spring extends therethrough with the proximal end attached to a top surface of the mid portion. In the alternative, the seat support bracket may or may not have a slot, but the proximal end of the spring is located and attached to a bottom side of the support member mid portion.

The chair can also include a support that is attached to an underside of one of the pair of spaced apart side members and along a length of one of the plurality of legs extending from the frame. The support extends downwardly from the side member to a flange, and the flange can rest upon a side member of a like chair when placed in a stack of like chairs.

Referring to the figures, wherein like numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, a stackable chair 10 with a flexible back is provided. The chair 10 includes a seat 12, a seat back 14, and a frame 16 supported by a plurality of legs 18. The frame 16 shown in the figures has the general outline of a box defined by a pair of spaced apart side members 20, a rear member 22, and a front member 24. The side members 20 are spaced apart from each other and can be generally parallel to each other. The side members 20 are interconnected to each other at their ends by the front and rear members 24, 22. The frame 16 is supported by the plurality of legs 18 extending from an underside of the frame 16.

With reference now to FIGS. 2 and 3, a support member 26 interconnecting and/or attached to the side members 20 is illustrated. The support member 26 is disposed towards the rear of the frame 16 and forward of the rear member 22. It is appreciated that the rear member 22 is shown extending above the side members 20; however, it is anticipated that the rear member 22 may be disposed either below or along the same plane as the side members 20. The support member 26 helps provide structural support to the chair 10 and can include a first end portion 28, a second end portion 30 and a mid portion 32. The mid portion 32 interconnects the first end portion 28 to the second end portion 30. In addition, the first end portion 28 can be connected to one of the side members 20 and the second end portion 30 can be connected to the other side member 20 so as to provide structural stability to the chair 10 and resist spreading of the pair of side members 20 under a predetermined load.

The chair 10 further includes a spring 34 and a seat support bracket 36. As is shown in FIG. 2, the seat 12 sits fully on the side members 20, front member 24, and a portion of the seat support bracket 36. The seat support bracket 36 can provide support for the spring 34 and interconnects the rear member 22 to the mid portion 32 of the support member 26. As such, the support member 26 and the seat support bracket 36 cooperate to tie the side members 20 and the rear leg assembly (rear legs 48 and rear member 22) together, thereby providing a sturdier and stiffer chair assembly. Preferably, the support member 26 and the seat support bracket 36 are unitarily formed from a single piece of metal.

The spring 34 has a proximal end 38 and a distal end 40 which can be generally orthogonal to each other. The proximal end 38 is connected to the support member 26 and the distal end 40 is connected to the seat back 14. This arrangement allows the spring 34 to translate a portion of the load experienced by the seat back 14 onto the support member 26. The proximal end 38 and the distal end 40 may pivot relative to each other about a hinge portion 37 when a load is placed on the seat back 14. The spring 34 has memory so as to return to a natural position when the load is removed from the seat back 14.

In a preferred embodiment, the mid portion 32 of the support member 26 is lower than the pair of side members 20, and the seat support bracket 36 includes a step portion 42. Specifically, the seat support bracket 36 includes a seat panel 41 that is integrally formed with the step portion 42. The step portion 42 is generally orthogonal to the seat panel 41 and the seat panel 41 can be attached to the rear member 22 and the step portion 42 can be attached to the mid portion 32 of the support member 26. The proximal end 38 of the spring 34 is also attached to the mid portion 32 of the support member 26 so as to place the proximal end 38 of the spring 34 below the rear member 22. As mid portion 32 of the support member 26 is lower than the pair of side members 20, the proximal end 38 of the spring 34 remains spaced apart from the seat 12.

The seat support bracket 36 may further include a slot 44, and a portion of the spring 34 is fitted and/or can extend through the slot 44 wherein the proximal end 38 is attached to the mid portion 32 and the distal end 40 is attached to the seat back 14, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Thus, the support member 26 with the seat support bracket 36 and slot 44 can transfer some of the load from the seat back 14 onto the rear member 22 so as to help prevent the proximal end 38 from being disengaged from the support member 26. Accordingly, the seat 12 will not absorb any of the load translated from the seat back 14.

In a second preferred embodiment, the seat support bracket 36 does not include a slot 44. Rather, the spring 34 interconnects the seat back 14 to an underside of the mid portion 32 of the support member 26 and the hinge portion 37 is spaced apart from the step portion 42 as shown in FIG. 4. Thus like the first preferred embodiment, the seat 12 remains spaced apart from the proximal end 38 of the spring 34 and the seat 12 will not absorb any of the load translated from the seat back 14.

As shown in the figures, the frame 16 is supported by four legs 18 generally equally spaced apart. Specifically, the chair 10 includes a pair of rear leg members 48 and a pair of front leg members 50. The rear leg members 48 can be longer than the front leg members 50, thus placing the rear member 22 above the side members 20. However, it is anticipated that a variety of leg configurations known in the art may be used.

With reference now to FIG. 5, some embodiments of the chair 10 include a support 52. The support 52 is attached to an underside of one of the side members 20 and along the length of one of the legs 18 as shown in FIG. 5. The support 52 can extend downwardly from the side member 20 to a flange 54 and the flange 54 can extend generally orthogonal from the downwardly direction of the support 52 so as to provide a stacking surface. Thus, the chair 10 does not require the use of typical stack tabs on the chair legs, as the chair 10 is configured so as to have the flange 54 rest upon frame member, e.g. the side members 20 of a like chair 10, or in the alternative, on a top surface 23 of rear member 22, when placed in a stack of like chairs 10.

Though the flange 54 is illustrated as extending outwardly away from a center line 60 of the chair 10, it is contemplated that the flange 54 may alternatively extend inwardly, or that a free end of the support 52 be connected to or attached to a center portion of the flange 54. Furthermore, it is anticipated that the support 52 may come in different shapes. FIG. 5 shows the support having a concave edge 56 extending from the side member to the leg so as to define an arc. However, the edge of the support that extends from the side member to the leg may define other shapes as well. For example, the edge may extend straight from the side member to the leg so as to give the support a triangle shape (not shown).

As also shown in FIG. 5, a similar support is provided at a location where one of the front legs 50 joins one of the side members 20. For the front leg 50, it is preferred that the stacking flange turns inwardly and rests on a top surface 25 of the front member 24, however this is not required and the stacking flange can be oriented such that it rests on a top surface 21 of one of the side members 20. It should be noted that the supports may have sizes other than illustrated, such as shorter versions illustrated in FIG. 2. In the preferred version, the supports have a height of approximately 3½ inches and a front to back length of approximately 2 inches. As an alternative, the chair 10 may have stacking tabs formed on the legs, such as on the inside of the leg and extending inwardly to engage a lower chair in a stack.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings and may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described while within the scope of the appended claims. In addition, the reference numerals in the specification are merely for convenience and are not to be read in any way as limiting. 

1. A chair comprising: a seat; a seat back; a frame including a pair of spaced apart side members and a rear member interconnecting one of the side members to the other side member; a plurality of legs extending from the frame so as to support the frame; a support member including a first end portion and a second end portion, and a mid portion interconnecting the first end portion to the second end portion, the first end portion being connected to one of the side members and the second end portion being connected to the other side member; a seat support bracket interconnecting the rear member to the mid portion of the support member; and a spring having a proximal end connected to the support member and a distal end connected to the seat back so as to translate at least a portion of the load experienced by the seat back onto the support member.
 2. The chair as set forth in claim 1, wherein the support member is forward of the rear member.
 3. The chair as set forth in claim 1, wherein the mid portion of the support member is lower than the pair of side members.
 4. The chair as set forth in claim 3, wherein the seat support bracket includes a seat panel that is integrally formed with a step portion, the step portion being generally orthogonal to the seat panel, the seat panel being attached to the rear member and the step portion being attached to the support member.
 5. The chair as set forth in claim 1, wherein the seat support bracket includes a slot, and a portion of the spring extends through the slot.
 6. The chair as set forth in claim 5, wherein the proximal end of the spring is generally orthogonal to the distal end.
 7. The chair as set forth in claim 5, wherein the proximal end of the spring is attached to a top surface of the support member.
 8. The chair as set forth in claim 1, wherein the proximal end of the spring is located below and is attached to a bottom surface of the mid portion of the support member.
 9. The chair as set forth in claim 1, wherein the plurality of legs includes a pair of rear leg members and a pair of front leg members, the rear leg members being spaced apart from and extending generally above the pair of spaced apart forward leg members.
 10. The chair as set forth in claim 1, wherein the rear member extends above the side members.
 11. The chair as set forth in claim 1, wherein the proximal end of the spring is below the rear member.
 12. The chair as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a support attached to an underside of one of the pair of spaced apart side members and one of the plurality of legs extending from the frame, wherein the support extends downwardly from the side member along a length of a leg to a flange and the flange rests upon a frame member of a like chair when placed in a stack of like chairs.
 13. The chair as set forth in claim 12, wherein the support is a plurality of supports, each of the plurality of supports attached to an underside of one of the pair of spaced apart side members and one of the plurality of legs extending from the frame, wherein each of the plurality of supports extend downwardly from one of the pair of spaced apart side members along a length of a leg to a flange and each of the flange rests upon a frame member of a like chair when placed in a stack of like chairs.
 14. The chair as set forth in claim 13, wherein the flange rests upon a top surface of a frame front member.
 15. A stackable chair as set forth in claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of supports has a concave edge extending downwardly in a direction from the underside of the side member to the flange so as to define an arc.
 16. A stackable chair as set forth in claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of supports has a generally straight extending downwardly in a direction from the underside of the side member to the flange so as to define a triangle.
 17. A stackable chair comprising: a seat; a seat back; a frame including a pair of spaced apart side members and a rear member interconnecting one of the side members to the other side member; a plurality of legs extending from the frame so as to support the frame; and a support disposed on each of the plurality of legs, wherein the support extends downwardly from each of the side members to a flange and the flange rests upon a frame member of a like chair when placed in a stack of like chairs.
 18. A stackable chair as set forth in claim 17, wherein the support has a concave edge extending from the side member to the leg so as to define an arc.
 19. A stackable chair as set forth in claim 17, wherein the support is shaped like a triangle.
 20. A stackable chair as set forth in claim 17, wherein the flange extends generally orthogonal from the support towards a center line of the seat. 